The Zamfara State Ministry of Health has recorded 44 deaths following an outbreak of diphtheria in parts of the state.
The State Director of Public Health in the ministry, Dr Yusuf Haske, disclosed this in a telephone interview in Gusau on Monday, according to media reports.
Haske said the ministry had so far documented 367 clinically suspected cases, while more than 320 patients had been successfully treated and discharged.
He explained that laboratory examinations carried out on samples obtained from suspected patients confirmed the presence of the organism responsible for diphtheria.
According to him, the samples were forwarded to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja, where the diagnosis was subsequently confirmed.
He said after the confirmation, the Ministry of Health, following a directive from Governor Dauda Lawal, declared the outbreak and activated the Incident Management System to coordinate the response.
Haske said the measures included activating rapid response teams at state and local government levels, alongside case management activities across the state’s 14 local government areas.
He added that general hospitals across the state had set up isolation centres to manage diphtheria patients, while Gusau Local Government Area, which recorded the highest number of cases, had about four treatment centres.
The director said 320 patients had received treatment and been discharged, while oral medication was supplied to those who needed to continue treatment at home.
He, however, said the state had recorded 44 deaths, blaming the continued transmission of the disease partly on ongoing community spread.
Haske noted that children between six and 10 years were among the groups most affected, prompting the Ministry of Health to advise the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on steps to minimise transmission.
He said the advice resulted in the decision to postpone school resumption by two weeks to give health authorities more time to intensify case management, surveillance, community engagement, health education and other preventive activities.
The director expressed optimism that the situation would improve, noting that although the number of cases “is still increasing, the number of deaths has reduced, and many patients are responding positively to treatment.”
He urged residents to remain watchful and seek medical attention promptly if they observe signs and symptoms associated with diphtheria.
He added that disease surveillance and notification officers across the 14 local government areas were working to detect cases and ensure prompt intervention.
Haske also disclosed that his department was visiting local government areas to sensitise residents and provide assistance for ongoing response efforts.
He appealed to residents to cooperate with health officials and make use of the contact channels provided across the state to report suspected cases and obtain assistance.
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has postponed the resumption of public and private schools in the state by two weeks following the outbreak.
The Commissioner for Education, Abdulmalik Gajam, announced the extension on Monday in Gusau.
He said the decision was based on the latest health advisory issued by the Ministry of Health on the diphtheria outbreak and was intended to safeguard pupils, students, teachers and the wider school community.
According to him, the extension would give health and education authorities additional time to improve disease surveillance, contact tracing, vaccination verification, public sensitisation and other preventive measures before schools resume.
Gajam directed all school proprietors, heads of schools and management boards to comply with the directive.
He also advised schools to use the period to clean and decontaminate their premises and provide sufficient handwashing facilities.
The commissioner announced Monday, Sept. 28, as the tentative new resumption date, subject to further guidance from the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders.
